Southport Attack Survivor’s Bravery Hailed: Mother Shares Heartbreaking Account at Public Inquiry

The courage of a young survivor of the Southport attacks, who “fought like hell” to protect other children, was poignantly recounted by her mother at a public inquiry. The Southport Inquiry, held at Liverpool Town Hall, heard harrowing statements from the families of four girls who endured severe injuries during the horrific events of July 29, 2024.

One of the survivors, identified only as C1 to protect her anonymity, was a seven-year-old girl described by her mother as a spirited child with a love for adventure. However, the mother shared tearfully how the attacks have irrevocably changed her daughter, leaving her unable to “live that way anymore.” The mother expressed being “crushed but in complete awe” of her daughter’s immense courage during and after the assault.

C1, who was tragically stabbed 33 times by assailant Axel Rudakubana at a dance workshop in Southport’s Hart Street, was airlifted to Alder Hey Children’s Hospital. CCTV footage, presented at the inquiry, captured the harrowing moment C1, despite her own grievous wounds, attempted to escape the dance studio, only to be grabbed and dragged back inside by Rudakubana. This act of defiance earned her the heartbreaking moniker “the girl who was dragged back in.”

The inquiry heard that C1’s injuries were “vast,” affecting a significant portion of her body and vital organs. “The damage was catastrophic,” her mother stated, describing the hours and days following the attack as “a living hell.” She highlighted the profound tragedy that, in the initial moments of the assault by the 17-year-old Rudakubana, there were no adults present to offer aid to her daughter and the other children.

C1’s mother revealed that her daughter had courageously shielded other children during the onslaught, urging them to flee. She expressed deep gratitude for the actions of teachers Leanne Lucas and Heidi Liddle, whose efforts to help the children escape undoubtedly saved lives. However, she emphasized the painful reality that, with the adults gone, her own daughter was forced to fend for herself.

“It is these untold stories of remarkable strength and bravery that are missing when we have heard other accounts of this day,” she stated. “I think it is vitally important that those girls are now heard, so that the inquiry can understand the complexities of this experience for everyone.”

The father of another survivor, C3, a nine-year-old girl, shared his daughter’s ordeal, stating she was “stabbed three times in the back by a coward she didn’t even see.” He conveyed that his daughter “bears the scars, both physically and emotionally, of that terrible day” and that her journey ahead will involve continued challenges.

Another statement, read by solicitor Nicola Ryan-Donnelly, described a “creative” and “full-of-life” seven-year-old who vividly remembers Rudakubana attempting to attack her face. Her mother wrote that the once independent and joyful child now requires constant support, reassurance, and protection.

The inquiry has adjourned until September 8th. Future sessions will delve into the circumstances surrounding the attack and Rudakubana’s interactions with various agencies prior to the incident. The second phase, anticipated next year, will broaden the scope to examine how young individuals become involved in “extreme violence.”